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You Can't Know Everything
There are some people who always seem to know everything. They can
answer almost any question on any subject and convince you that their
knowledge is superior than yours. Further interrogation will usually
prove that their knowledge is less than comprehensive and that their
answers aren’t always right. But the last thing you’ll ever hear them
say is “I don’t know”.
Society even has a term for these people. They’re called ‘know alls’ and
it’s not a compliment. The implication is that they think they know more
than they actually do and that they try to appear smarter than they
really are. Know alls are not popular for long in any group of people.
However, it is hard to admit we don’t know the answer when someone asks
us a question. There’s a pause during which time we mentally repeat the
question to ourselves and then go through our catalogue of retained
knowledge, but if the answer isn’t stored in our memories what do we do
next?
Most people will follow with one
of these three responses:
1. Pretend they know the answer and ‘fake it’
2. Avoid the real answer and come up with a distraction
3. Admit they don’t know
Start with number three in the list – telling the person that you don’t
know the answer. That seems to be the hardest course of action to take.
It’s an admission of failure and that’s something we try hard to avoid,
but sometimes it can also be the least costly response.
Fake It or Find a Distraction
Too many of us will feel compelled to ‘fake it’ – to come up with an
answer that’s really just a guess. In business this can lead to
calamities, such as someone acting on inaccurate financial advice and
losing money as a result. Their opinion of the person that gave them the
wrong answer will certainly be lower than it was before they asked the
question.
Others will admit (but only to themselves) that they don’t have the
answer so instead of trying to come up with one they’ll search madly for
an alternative. If a question is asked about which headline will be the
most effective in a newspaper advertisement they’ll suggest advertising
on radio instead. It addresses the question but is not a real answer.
If you’re asked a question and don’t know the answer, the best response
is to say “I don’t know but I can find out for you” and then
follow-through with finding the correct answer. It might at first sound
like some sort of admission of ignorance but in the longer term it will
be the most valuable to both you and to the questioner.
The first point to make is that the other person doesn’t know the answer
and hasn’t been able to resolve the issue on their own. They’ve come to
you for help and hope that you can provide them with the correct
information. If you can give them the information they need, your value
to them will increase, as will their trust in you.
On the other hand, if you give them information that later proves
incorrect the opposite will occur; your value will have diminished and
their trust in you will weaken or disappear completely. The appreciation
they expressed when you gave them the answer they believed was right
will turn into concerns about your abilities and honesty.
Be honest and Admit It
There’s nothing wrong with admitting you don’t know the answer. The
other person doesn’t know it either, so at that point the two of you are
on equal footing. When you helpfully come up with the correct answer you
can also be certain it’s the best possible answer and the one that you
know will work.
Having the ability to explore the question and conduct research that
leads to the optimum answer is a demonstration of your talents, and
shows your determination to provide the best possible result.
People who are genuinely successful in business didn’t get that way by
guesswork. They didn’t ‘fake it’ when confronted with a question, nor
did they evade the issue by creating a distraction. They worked to find
the correct answer and provided it with confidence, knowing it would
strengthen their relationship with the person who asked the question.
Just remember, you can’t know everything. That’s something everybody
knows!
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